Chapter 51 - Medicine Valley Guests
After bidding the Bais a polite farewell, Su Ming left the recovery room. Outside, he coordinated with Elder Lu. The Medicine Hall would arrange flying carriages to transport the Bais to White Lotus Peak soon. Su Ming then departed on the Crimson Heaven Sword to prepare the guest pavilions.
***
Inside the quiet recovery chamber, the echo of Su Ming’s footsteps faded into the distance. Elder Bai Zhen sat up in his cot, his thin frame looking frail beneath the heavy blankets, though his eyes remained sharp. He waited a few moments, listening to the silence of the corridor, before raising his right hand.
With a flick of his finger, a faint ripple of Qi spread, forming a quiet soundproof barrier. Even with his Core Formation strength, his skills and reflexes remained intact, executing the minor technique in a flash.
"He is gone," Bai Zhen said, his voice raspy and low. He leaned back against the headboard and chuckled dryly, though it ended in a shallow cough. "An Outer Peak Master of a mid-tier sect, trying to pull us into his ranks. If my cultivation was not damaged, I would not know whether to laugh or cry. Fate indeed has a way of humbling people."
He turned his gaze toward the girl, a flash of painful pride in his eyes. "In our Medicine Valley, even the Sect Masters of such sects had to pay heavy respects and wait three days in the just to catch a glimpse of the Saintess."
Standing by the window, Bai Qingxian shook her head gently, her fingers tightening against the wooden frame. "Stop it, Uncle. I am no longer the Saintess of the Medicine Valley. Father and mother are gone, and the Bai family might as well be gone too. Even if there are survivors scattered out there, finding them would be nearly impossible. There is no use looking back. In our current state, there is nothing we can do but hide our presence, recover, and rebuild our strength."
Bai Zhen sighed, the defiance in his posture softening into a weary acceptance. "You are right, Xian’er. It is just... It is hard to swallow." He paused, looking at her. "What did you gather from these people during the last two weeks? Is this Peak Master Su trustworthy?"
"He is a peculiar man," Bai Qingxian replied. "He was considered a hopeless trash elder, yet he recently revealed a Golden Core strength, which shocked the sect, and restored his mountain peak. His disciple Lin Yao tied for first in the tournament with the Sect master’s youngest direct disciple, and he is known for saving Greenwall City from a demonic cultivator. People view him as a paragon of righteousness."
"A paragon of righteousness," Bai Zhen muttered, his brow furrowing. "Those who carry such reputations are either fools or deeply calculating. This Su Ming does not strike me as a fool."
"He is not," Bai Qingxian agreed, her cold, clear eyes narrowing slightly. "He is far deeper than he lets on. When he stood before us today, I could feel the vibrant, balanced life force from him. That was no ordinary Golden Core cultivator. His Qi, body, and soul—all three were extremely vibrant, and they exist in perfect equilibrium. It is as if he has achieved the state of Three Origin Harmony."
Bai Zhen sat up straight, his eyes widening in shock. "Three Origin Harmony? The perfect, synchronized resonance of Body, Qi, and Soul? That is a legendary state of balance that even ancient geniuses rarely touch! Are you certain?"
"My Sacred Spirit Veins are currently healing, so I cannot confirm it with absolute certainty," Bai Qingxian said, placing a hand over her chest, reminded of the tragic events once again, "But the resonance I felt when he stood in front of me... I am almost certain of it. His foundation is exceptionally consolidated. To find such a cultivator in an outer peak of this ordinary Sect is... unexpected."
Bai Zhen leaned back, his eyes narrowing. "So in short, he is talented and hiding some secrets."
"Indeed," Bai Qingxian agreed, her expression resolving into a calm, calculated focus. "Regardless of his secrets, he has offered us sanctuary and asked no questions about our background. He has shown no interest in prying. For now, White Lotus Peak is quiet, empty, and away from prying eyes. It is our best option."
Bai Zhen nodded slowly, his fingers tapping the edge of his wooden cot. "Then we will go. We will lie low, heal ourselves, and see what this Peak Master Su is truly planning."
***
Later that afternoon, a low rumble echoed in the sky. Two wooden carriages, carried by giant flying spirit beasts, descended through the heavy mist. They landed smoothly near the pine grove on the peak’s lower terrace, where the guest pavilions stood in the shade.
Su Ming stood waiting on the stone pathway, his hands tucked inside his sleeves. Beside him stood Lin Yao and Wang Tian.
The carriage doors opened. The deacons stepped out, helping Elder Bai Zhen down the steps. Bai Zhen leaned heavily on a wooden staff, pale but straight. Bai Qingxian followed him.
Lin Yao stepped forward. Remembering Su Ming’s instructions to maintain a respectful distance, she saluted them with a measured bow. "Greetings, Lady Bai. Greetings, Elder Bai. Welcome to White Lotus Peak."
Bai Qingxian returned the bow, her cold, elegant demeanor unruffled. "Greetings, Miss Lin. We are grateful for your peak’s hospitality."
Wang Tian also stepped forward, bowing silently.
Bai Qingxian’s eyes flickered. Her instincts as a physician noted a completely shattered dantian and no Qi circulation in his meridians. She kept her expression calm and did not pry.
"The guest pavilions have been cleaned and prepared," Su Ming said, gesturing toward the wooden buildings surrounded by quiet, whispering pines. "If you need anything, call my disciple Lin Yao; she will be able to help you."
"This is more than enough," Bai Zhen said, looking around at the quiet forest. Although it was not like the cultivation chambers of the Bai Family, the dense, pure spiritual Qi of White Lotus Peak was far better than the crowded recovery wards of the Medicine Hall, carrying a cool, soothing quality that felt gentle.
"We are honored to be guests here."
The deacons quickly helped settle Elder Bai Zhen. The transfer complete, the deacons bowed, boarded the carriages, and ascended back into the sky, leaving the peak in its quiet sanctuary.
***
A few hours later, as the afternoon sun began to dip toward the western mountains, Su Ming walked with Bai Qingxian and Elder Bai Zhen toward the eastern slope of White Lotus Peak.
They stopped at the herb gardens. Weeds, briars, and dry spirit stalks were poking out of the ground all over the plot. The stone boundaries were cracked and covered in moss, though here and there, a few resilient, freshly bloomed spiritual herbs managed to peek through the wild overgrowth.
Su Ming cleared his throat, a touch of embarrassment on his face. "Ahem... The last time I tended these was almost three months ago, and I haven’t had time since. I am new to managing a peak. And now, as per the Administrative Hall’s notice, we have to handle the management of another herb garden on this peak."
Elder Bai Zhen looked at the overgrown field, leaning on his staff. A faint smile touched his thin lips. "Peak Master Su need not worry. For a young cultivator such as you, focusing on the Dao, tending to a herb garden is indeed a distraction. But for an old man like me, tending these herbs is a perfect way to keep myself active. Let me take charge of these gardens; I will clear the weeds and sow the spirit seeds required by the sect."
Su Ming was surprised. "Elder Zhen is willing to handle this? But your cultivation is still recovering."
"Tending spiritual plants does not require vast Qi," Bai Zhen replied. "It requires patience and a steady hand. It will assist my recovery, not hinder it."
"Then I am in your debt," Su Ming said, bowing slightly. "As of now, this garden is ordinary. Lin Yao and I did plant some seeds here before my seclusion, and they have already sprouted their first leaves. However, for my personal gardens, I want to use those spaces on the mountaintop. I have a different plan for those."
Bai Qingxian, who had been silently examining a handful of the soil, looked up, her interest piqued. "A personal garden?"
"Yes," Su Ming said, gesturing toward the peak above them. "I want to construct three separate gardens there, like three distinct, sealed chambers. The first will use an artificial Yang formation to draw the surrounding Yang atmosphere for Yang element crops. The second will use an artificial Yin formation to gather the dense Yin atmosphere for Yin crops. The third, and the toughest one of all, will use an artificial Yin-Yang formation to fuse both elements. If we succeed, that fusion garden will cycle both essences through the roots in a steady, self-regulating loop."
He described the three summit locations where the distinct plots would be cleared.
Hearing his explanation, both Bai Zhen and Bai Qingxian fell silent.
Bai Zhen’s eyes lit up, his posture tightening slightly as he analyzed the concept. "A dual-essence circulation... I have some experience with a similar method called the Twin-Light Rotation, but it relied on complex alchemical furnaces and spiritual arrays that required constant Qi manipulation. Your method of using an artificial formation to imitate the natural formations to let the soil self-regulate... it is genuinely intriguing."